Eddie Howe’s Big Problem: Three Newcastle Stars Starting to Sluggish!

Gilabola.com – Eddie Howe currently facing serious problems in Newcastle United. The performance of the three main players on the wings—Anthony Elanga, Anthony Gordon, and Harvey Barnes—is considered to have not met expectations and is starting to affect the stability of the team’s game as a whole.

This concern is not without basis. The lack of goal contributions and assists from the wing area means that Newcastle’s front line often lacks a supply of dangerous balls. This situation even opens up the opportunity for the Magpies to consider bringing in a new winger in the transfer market next January, even though initially it was not a top priority.

Eagle is the Main Spotlight

This condition was expressed by Mick Brown, former head of scouting for Manchester United and Sunderland, who is known to have strong connections in the world of English football. To Football Insider, Brown said that Eddie Howe was particularly disappointed with the performance Anthony Elanga.

Newcastle spent a large amount of money to bring in Elanga, reaching £55 million (around Rp. 1.1 trillion). However, this investment so far has not been directly proportional to the player’s impact on the field. Elanga even received harsh criticism from supporters after his disappointing performance in the defeat against Sunderland, where he again failed to make a significant impact.

According to Brown, Elanga is not the only source of concern. The problem is actually broader and touches almost all of Newcastle’s wing options.

Gordon and Barnes also highlighted

Anthony Gordon is also on the attention radar. Throughout the Premier League season, he has not recorded a single assist or goal from open play. This decreased productivity is considered worrying, not only for Newcastle, but also for the England national team.

Brown assessed that Gordon failed to have a real impact on the match. He too rarely makes the difference, something Newcastle really needs in tight games.

Meanwhile, Harvey Barnes considered still inconsistent. There were moments where he appeared impressive, but in the following match his contribution was barely visible. This up-and-down pattern made Newcastle’s wing line lose stability.

Brown emphasized that the lack of creativity from the side of the field had a direct impact on the striker’s performance. Without sufficient ball supply from the wings, Newcastle’s attackers had difficulty carrying out their role optimally.

Player Injuries Make the Situation Worse

Apart from performance problems, Newcastle was also hit by a storm of injuries which increasingly added to Eddie Howe’s burden. Even though they managed to get rid of Fulham with a score of 2-1 and advance to the semifinals of the Carabao Cup, the victory was marred by the latest injury suffered by Tino Livramento.

The 23-year-old right-back is experiencing physical problems again after being absent several times this season. Howe even called Livramento’s latest injury a “worrying” condition.

Not only Livramento, a number of other important players such as Dan Burn, Lewis Hall, Sven Botman and Kieran Trippier are also struggling with fitness issues. This series of injuries has made it difficult for Newcastle to perform consistently, even though they are still showing progress in domestic and European competitions.

Our View

Newcastle’s problems this season feel more complex than just match results. When the wing sector—which should be a source of creativity—is stagnant, the burden of play automatically shifts to the midfield and strikers. In this context, Eddie Howe’s concerns make perfect sense.

If the performance of Elanga, Gordon and Barnes does not improve, Newcastle will have to be realistic. The option of bringing in a new winger in January could be a short-term solution, even though it means admitting that the initial plan has not gone as expected. Without improvements in the wing area, Newcastle’s ambition to be consistent in the top flight will continue to be hampered, no matter how strong the other lines are.